No fewer than seven individuals have died and many others are missing in the wake of a vessel ferrying around 200 people seeking to enter the European continent capsized off the coast of Gambia, reports confirm.
The craft flipped on Wednesday midnight in the vicinity of Jinack village in the North Bank area and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
Nearly one hundred people have been saved to date and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were traveling on the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the the Atlantic has grown into a more frequent path for African asylum seekers trying to reach European nations.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canaries in last year and data indicates more than nine thousand individuals have lost their lives during the journey.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, The Gambian Navy began a search operation, involving multiple navy ships and a commercial fishing craft that joined the effort, the defence ministry reported.
Officials state several of the victims are not from The Gambia and that their details are still being checked.
The deceased of the seven victims who died have been recovered, and 10 of those rescued are reported to be in serious condition and receiving urgent medical care.
A Common Migration Route
Gambia is a common pathway used by migrants attempting to enter European countries, often on perilous trips over water and land.
Recently, the EU has reached agreements with a number of North African nations aimed at reducing illegal migration.
